Choose Wrike if you want far deeper project, resource and approval features. Wrike is a full-featured work management platform that brings project planning, resource management, portfolio views, creative proofing and business intelligence into one place. It takes longer to learn than lighter tools, but few competitors match its depth once a team scales.
Project management tools · Alternatives
Best Microsoft Planner Alternatives in 2026
Thinking of switching from Microsoft Planner? We compared 9 leading alternatives on features, pricing, ease of use and G2 and Capterra ratings, so you can find the right fit for your team.
Key takeaways
- Choose Wrike if you want far deeper project, resource and approval features.
- Choose monday.com if you want more customisable workflows.
- Choose Asana if you want richer cross-team task management.
- Choose Smartsheet if you want enterprise spreadsheet-style planning.
Why look for Microsoft Planner alternatives?
Microsoft Planner is best for microsoft 365 organisations. Teams usually look elsewhere for these reasons:
- Lighter feature set than specialist platforms
- Product changes and retirements can confuse buyers
- Limited customisation and reporting without Power BI
- Best features require paid plans or Copilot
Read our full Microsoft Planner review.
The best Microsoft Planner alternatives
Choose monday.com if you want more customisable workflows. monday.com is a highly visual, flexible work platform with one of the friendliest interfaces on the market. It is easy to adopt and very customisable, though seat bundles and plan limits can push costs up.
Choose Asana if you want richer cross-team task management. Asana is a polished, easy-to-use work management tool that excels at coordinating tasks across teams and linking them to company goals. Advanced capabilities such as portfolios and resource management are reserved for higher plans.
Choose Smartsheet if you want enterprise spreadsheet-style planning. Smartsheet combines a familiar spreadsheet grid with Gantt charts, automation and enterprise portfolio tools. It is a natural step up from Excel, though it lost its free plan in 2025 and advanced capabilities are quote-based.
Choose Trello if you want simple boards. Trello is the simplest way to start managing work visually. Its cards and boards are intuitive and inexpensive, but it lacks the scheduling, resource and portfolio depth needed for complex projects.
Choose ClickUp if you value feature depth. ClickUp packs an enormous range of features into low-priced plans: tasks, docs, whiteboards, goals, sprints, time tracking and dashboards. The trade-off is complexity, and the best AI features are paid add-ons.
Choose Jira if you value feature depth. Jira is the industry standard for Agile software teams, with deep Scrum and Kanban support, issue tracking and developer integrations. It is less suited to non-technical teams and has a steep learning curve.
Choose Notion if you value feature depth. Notion combines docs, wikis and databases into a flexible workspace that can be shaped into project trackers. It is excellent for knowledge management and lightweight projects, but lacks native time tracking, resource management and advanced scheduling.
Choose Basecamp if you value ease of use. Basecamp keeps projects simple: message boards, to-dos, schedules, docs, chat and client access in one place, with flat pricing and no per-user fees. It deliberately avoids complex PM features.
Microsoft Planner alternatives compared
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Ratings | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrike | Growing teams and enterprises that want one platform for projects, resources, portfolios, approvals and reporting | Free; paid from $10/user/month | G2 4.2/5 (4,537) Capterra 4.4/5 (3,041) | Microsoft Planner vs Wrike |
| monday.com | Teams that want a colourful, intuitive platform they can shape into almost any workflow | Free for up to 2 seats; paid from $9/seat/month | G2 4.7/5 (17,248) Capterra 4.6/5 (6,120) | Microsoft Planner vs monday.com |
| Asana | Organisations that want clean, reliable task management connected to goals and portfolios | Free (Personal); paid from $10.99/user/month | G2 4.4/5 (14,008) Capterra 4.5/5 (13,731) | Microsoft Planner vs Asana |
| Smartsheet | Organisations comfortable with spreadsheets that need enterprise-grade planning and reporting | From $9/member/month (no free plan) | G2 4.4/5 (22,768) Capterra 4.5/5 (3,559) | Microsoft Planner vs Smartsheet |
| Trello | Individuals and small teams that want simple, visual Kanban boards | Free; paid from $5/user/month | G2 4.4/5 (14,063) Capterra 4.5/5 (23,628) | Microsoft Planner vs Trello |
| ClickUp | Budget-conscious teams that want tasks, docs, goals, sprints and dashboards in one tool | Free; paid from $7/user/month | G2 4.6/5 (14,714) Capterra 4.6/5 (4,634) | Microsoft Planner vs ClickUp |
| Jira | Software development and IT teams running Scrum or Kanban | Free for up to 10 users; Standard roughly $7.91/user/month | G2 4.3/5 (7,988) Capterra 4.4/5 (15,493) | Microsoft Planner vs Jira |
| Notion | Teams that want documents, wikis and lightweight project tracking in one flexible workspace | Free; paid from $10/member/month | G2 4.6/5 (13,862) Capterra 4.7/5 (2,834) | Microsoft Planner vs Notion |
| Basecamp | Agencies and small businesses that want calm, communication-centred projects with flat pricing | Free (1 project, up to 5 users); paid from $25/month flat | G2 4.1/5 (5,489) Capterra 4.4/5 (14,449) | Microsoft Planner vs Basecamp |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Microsoft Planner?
It depends on why you are switching. Choose Wrike if you want far deeper project, resource and approval features. Choose monday.com if you want more customisable workflows.
Why do teams look for Microsoft Planner alternatives?
The most common reasons are: lighter feature set than specialist platforms; product changes and retirements can confuse buyers; limited customisation and reporting without power bi.
Is there a free alternative to Microsoft Planner?
Yes: Wrike, monday.com, Asana, Trello, ClickUp, Jira, Notion, Basecamp have free plans.
What is a cheaper alternative to Microsoft Planner?
Trello (from $5/user/month) and ClickUp (from $7/user/month, annual) are among the lowest-priced paid options; Basecamp's flat pricing can be cheaper for large teams.
What is an easier alternative to Microsoft Planner?
Trello and monday.com are the easiest tools to learn, followed by Asana and Basecamp.
What is the best Microsoft Planner alternative for enterprises?
Wrike, Smartsheet and monday.com offer the strongest enterprise features in our review.
What is the best Microsoft Planner alternative for software teams?
Jira is the standard for software teams; ClickUp is a flexible, lower-cost option.
Which Microsoft Planner alternative has the best user ratings?
On G2, monday.com (4.7), ClickUp (4.6) and Notion (4.6) have some of the highest ratings among the tools we reviewed (checked 5 October 2026).
Can I migrate from Microsoft Planner to another tool?
Most tools offer CSV import and many provide direct importers from popular competitors. Plan a pilot project, map fields and statuses, and migrate active work first.
How did you choose these Microsoft Planner alternatives?
We compared the other nine tools in our top 10 on features, pricing, ease of use, scalability and published G2 and Capterra ratings, and ordered them by how well they address common reasons for switching.